1924 Bugatti Type 30/38 Tourer
Introduced in 1922, the Bugatti Type 30 was the first small-production automobile to feature a straight-eight engine, marking a major milestone in Ettore Bugatti’s engineering legacy. It showcased the company’s signature single-overhead-cam design with three valves per cylinder (two intake and one exhaust) operated by a gear-driven camshaft (a configuration that would influence Bugatti engines for years to come).
The 1,991cc powerplant featured a long-stroke layout with a 60mm bore and 88mm stroke, and its crankshaft ran in three roller bearings. Twin Solex carburetors supplied fuel to the highly refined engine, which produced approximately 100 horsepower at 4,500 rpm (quite impressive for the early 1920s). The engine was mounted in a chassis derived from the earlier Brescia model, giving the Type 30 notable agility and speed for its time.
A four-speed Brescia type manual gearbox required finesse to operate smoothly but rewarded experienced drivers with precise control. Of the roughly 600 Type 30s built between 1922 and 1926, fewer than 50 are known to survive today, making authentic examples with well-documented provenance especially prized among collectors.
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